Morris Develops a Juggernaut : Basketball: Glendale tournament title the latest notch in the belt of Los Angeles City College.

Reggie Morris recruited his first basketball team at Los Angeles City College in 1988 by showing prospective players the campus, the schedule of classes and just about everything related to the school except the gym.

LACC was reviving its program after a budget-induced four-year hiatus that had left the facility in shambles. Morris, therefore, turned to other arenas of interest.

“If I had brought anyone into that gym and said, ‘OK, come here, it’s going to be great,’ there’s no way anyone would have shown up to play,” Morris recalled. “We had chains on the door. Every time they asked about the gym, I said, ‘Don’t worry about it, it’s being renovated right now.’ ”

Today, the LACC gym has new paint, new windows and a two-tone floor. Doors that were once locked out of embarrassment are now opened with pride.

“It’s been a three-year process,” Morris said. “There are high school tournaments there now. People are wanting to play in the gym.”

And college players, in increasing numbers, desire to play for Morris, a highly successful coach and counselor at Manual Arts High who has quickly and quietly built a successful program at LACC.

Last weekend, the Cubs defeated Valley, Cypress and College of the Canyons to win the Glendale tournament.

The victories improved the Cubs’ record to 10-2, giving Morris a 56-21 mark in his two plus seasons at the community college level.

“The kids have always been there (in the LACC area),” Glendale Coach Brian Beauchemin said. “But it takes organization and structure to attract them and that’s what Reggie has provided.”

Morris, 41, was a standout in basketball and track at Washington High and went on to compete in both sports at Los Angeles Harbor College and San Jose State.

He coached varsity basketball for 11 seasons at Manual Arts where his teams won:

* seven league championships.

* two City 4-A championships.

* the 1988 state title.

Morris also established himself as a pioneer of sorts in crisis counseling for high school students.

He helped students troubled by gang pressures, family situations and other personal problems by talking with them and referring them to local agencies. He started a program called “There Must Be Alternatives,” designed to help athletes and other students resist or overcome gangs, drugs and illiteracy by inviting guest speakers to address the student body at Manual Arts and at other Los Angeles high schools, junior highs and churches.

When LACC offered him the coaching job and a career counseling position, Morris said he was faced with a difficult decision. He agreed to join the LACC staff when he was guaranteed that the basketball program would be funded on par with other community colleges.

“I was happy where I was at,” he said. “I would not have come to a makeshift program set up for failure.

“At the same time, I had been at Manual for 11 seasons so it was a new challenge. If I was going to have a chance to move up as a coach, I needed to make the move.”

Hired in July of 1988, Morris made up for lost recruiting time by focusing his efforts on former Manual Arts and Dorsey High players.

In 1988-89 the Cubs averaged 102 points a game, finished 22-9 and won the Southern California Conference with a 13-1 record before losing in the final of the Southern California regional of the state tournament.

Thurman Watson (St. Mary’s) and Chris Small (New Mexico State) from that team went on to play at Division I schools.

Last season, the Cubs averaged 104 points a game, finished 23-10 and went unbeaten through conference before losing in the second round of the playoffs.

This season, LACC has fallen behind by as many as 19 points at halftime, then come back to win. The Cubs’ only two losses were to Cypress, who they have beaten twice, and Oxnard.

Sophomore forward Charlo Davis leads the team, averaging 18 points a game. Sophomore guard Develle Walker, who redshirted last season after an all-conference season in 1988, is averaging 17 points. Freshman forward Sean Hopson is averaging 11 points and eight rebounds.

“There used to be no continuity at LACC,” Canyons Coach Lee Smelser said. “Reggie has certainly brought that to the program. He’s brought in some people with his name and his record. Now you have to reckon with LACC.”

Morris expects the winning tradition to continue. “We’re getting people that really want to do it,” Morris said. “It’s tough sometimes to convince people that going away to college is not always the best alternative. There are some positive things to be had in staying at home and in having your family and friends be able to see you.”

Morris hopes to one day move up to the four-year level.

“I know there is a lot of pressure and sometimes that can make you feel insecure,” he said. “But as a competitor, you like to keep moving and satisfy that challenging instinct.

“At the moment, though, I’m happy to be building this program and giving kids from the inner city a chance to continue their basketball and academic careers.”